OUR BALTIMORE 2020 CANDIDATE SURVEY

We asked the 2020 Baltimore City candidates for Comptroller, Mayor, and Council President to go on the record about common sense democracy solutions.And after the election, we must keep mobilizing to hold the winners accountable to the promises they made —so we can strengthen democracy in 2021 and beyond.

No single solution will solve al the changes our democracy faces, but this comprehensive agenda helps policy makers and voters know there are concrete steps we can take and proven solutions we can pass to make government work for every single Baltimorean.

Responses should be submitted at ourdemocracy2020.org/our-baltimore-2020/

Your conduct on the campaign trail shows voters where your commitments are for transparency, accountability and ethics.
As a Baltimore City candidate, I pledge to…

• Release at least five years’ worth of personal and business tax returns to the public, so Baltimore City voters can be aware of any financial entanglements and potentials conflicts of interest.
• File financial disclosure forms diligently and by established deadlines, including listing all directorships held as well as clients of any company in which 30% stake is owned, helping to eliminate any possible concerns about corruption or misbehavior.
• Identify and resolve any conflicts of interest for yourself, top campaign officials, and future staff by undergoing thorough ethics vetting during transition to office.
• Highlight democracy issues –voting rights, open government and transparency, ethics and accountability –in your platform, campaign materials, website and stump speeches, drawing connections between democracy and other issues you discuss that are important to Baltimore City voters.

Leading Baltimore City means leading the way for strong, equitable, accessible, and representative democracy for every Baltimorean.
If elected, I will ensure, prioritize and work aggressively to…

• Continue to identify and resolve conflicts as they arise and refrain from using position for personal benefit or private gain.
• Adequately fund the Baltimore City Office of the Inspector General to ensure they can fully and capably staff the Ethics Board, providing for much needed oversight. Currently,there is no budget for ethics enforcement and only shared staff in addition to the volunteer Board are available to investigate complaints regarding ethics violations.
• Seek ways to utilize technology to increase accessibility, including live and archivedvideo streaming of all Baltimore City commission, board, committee, and other meetings of public interest.
• Fully fund the Fair Election Fund, helping to fight big money while elevating the voices of everyday Baltimoreans residents and empowering those with community-supported ideas who may not have connections to deep-pocketed interests to run for office.
• Seek input from Baltimore City residents on all proposed charter amendments, annual budget, and overall changes to structure of City government.
• Support greater transparency, including ensuring that Public Information Act requests are responded to in a timely manner and that custodians are working with PIA Ombudsman and Compliance Board to address any confusions Baltimore City residents may have navigating process.
• Actively seek ways to increase transparency within the Board of Estimates, including supporting current efforts to change the structure of the Board, and seek public input of alternatives if Board were to be eliminated.
• Provide public with analysis of all legislation being considered, ensuring that analysis is independent and provide explanation on what the bill would day -making it easier for the public to understand. Also include an equity analysis, similar to that done in Montgomery County, that looks at impact on Baltimore City residents.

If elected, you will have the power to take concrete action that will repair and strengthen democratic institutions in Baltimore City. We’ve seen a number for good-governance reforms introduced by current members of the Council, including efforts to engage the public, create greater transparency and accountability, change the structure of City government, move to a Ranked Choice Voting system, and more. Use this space to let Baltimore City voters know how you plan to build on these efforts during your first year in office and, more importantly, how you plan to engage them in these efforts during your first year.
By the end of my first year in office I will…